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Thursday, April 21, 2016

Understanding the Customer’s Journey to an Online Purchase

Today’s shoppers are smart! More
than 50% browse online before making their purchase decision. Internet does
play a major role in the customer’s journey, from creating product awareness at
the earliest stages, to making the customer take action and buy the product. Even
though consumers visit at least 3 online stores before making a purchase, there
are different channels that intervene in their decision-making. How does a
customer purchase online? What is his/her journey?

Marketing channels influence online purchase
decisions

Paid search, promotional emails,
print ads and display ads…there are a bunch of marketing channels that can influence
the customer in his/her decision to purchase a product or service online. The
customer’s purchase journey is affected by several stages. They include
recognizing that there is a need associated to the actual decision to purchase,
and other steps which can give advertisers and retailers some cues on how to tailor
their marketing strategy.

Why should you understand your customer’s
purchase journey?

Interactions do affect the customer’s
final decision and influence him/her to buy the product. Understanding the
customer’s journey will help you create a well-planned marketing strategy that
will convert more customers and grow your business. Thus, you could also
optimize your budgets for your different marketing channels.

In the US, customers need to be
more assisted on their purchase decision. Thus, their journey goes through 6
distribution channels before they actually buy:

This data
concerns small and medium sized businesses in the Home & Garden industry in
the US

In Canada, it is another matter! Only
4 distribution channels influence the customers’ buying behavior.

This data
concerns small and medium sized businesses in the Home & Garden industry in
Canada

How can you adjust
your marketing strategy?

Get an insight of your customer’s profile

As customer’s buying behavior can
be different, it needs to be well understood.Each marketing campaign will have an impact on a customer’s interaction.
You should adjust your message in order to help generate awareness for your
product or service.

Embrace your customer’s micro-moments

Offer products or services to
your customer at THE right time i.e when he/she intends to buy, using the
appropriate marketing channels to ensure he will select your products and close
his action by making the purchase.

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